FASHION/Italy in Hollywood
May 25-March 10, 2019
Ferragamo Museum, piazza Santa Trinita 5r, Florence
With its next exhibition, the Ferragamo Museum will take visitors on a “well-heeled” stroll down Hollywood Boulevard right here in Florence. Italy in Hollywood is inspired by the years that the shoe giant Salvatore Ferragamo spent in the United States—specifically, his stint in Santa Barbara from 1915 to 1927, during which he worked with top film directors (including Cecil B. DeMille) and screen sirens. Rather than focusing on blockbuster names, however, this exhibition highlights Italian migration to California and the influence the pre-Fellini dolce vita had on the Golden State, through the lens of Ferragamo’s autobiography. The show doesn’t shy away from the era’s uncomfortable themes, including the disconnect between the WASP world’s reverence for Italian culture and customs, juxtaposed with its stereotype-driven disdain for Italo-Americans. Film buffs will enjoy the clips throughout the exhibition, many of which explore Italy’s role in the creation of the modern “diva” and the birth of silent film. For more information, call 055 3562846.
LUSH/ADSI National Day
May 27
Various venues in Florence, Tuscany and Italy
High tourist time has only just begun, but we’d bet you could already use a break from the unseasonably scorching streets, instead exploring some of Tuscany’s most tranquil spaces. May 27 brings the chance to fulfill all your real estate fantasies when the regional chapter of the Associazione Dimore Storiche Italiane (ADSI) opens up normally-cordoned—or just privately owned—castles, villas, courtyards, gardens and farmhouses to the public. This year the ADSI National Day is also part of larger European event Private Heritage Week (May 24-27), celebrating the continent’s truly hidden treasures. At press time, not all participating venues have been announced, but here’s a small teaser of some Tuscan highlights: Palazzo Magnoni Feroni, Palazzo Gondi and Giardino Corsini in Florence, La Foce in Chianciano Terme, and Villa Grabau in Marlia, near Lucca. To view the up-to-date program, see the website.
RADIOHEAD/Thom Yorke
May 28, 9pm
Teatro Verdi, via Ghibellina 99, Florence
After last year’s sprawling mega-show in the Visarno Arena, Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke returns to Florence for a more intimate concert in the historic Teatro Verdi. Best known for his genre-defying work as the lead singer, pianist and guitarist of Radiohead, Yorke launched a solo career in 2006 with The Eraser. In Florence, he’ll be joined onstage by Nigel Godrich, a Radiohead producer and part of the supergroup Atoms for Peace, of which Yorke is also a member. Multimedia visuals from acclaimed audiovisual artist-computer programmer Tarik Barri will add to the headiness of it all, but count on fewer glowsticks and Coachella crowd vibes compared to last year’s Cascine show. At press time, tickets are still available starting at around 45 euro. For more information, see music promoters Le Nozze di Figaro’s website.
BLOCK PARTY/La Maggiolata
May 26, 3pm-midnight
Via Maggio & Sdrucciolo de’ Pitti, Florence
The antique shops, art galleries, community hubs and eateries of the refined via Maggio will let loose on Saturday with the annual “La Maggiolata” event, a block party with a bit of something for everyone: think tastings, parades, musical performances and pop-up plant installations. Nearby Sdrucciolo de’ Pitti, which takes the neighborhood cake where charm is concerned, will also host its now-annual Sdrucciolo in Festa party amid the Maggiolata festivities, featuring hip-hop, funk and soul DJ sets beginning at 2pm, a live show from the Streettino Jazz Band (6pm), “discofunk” music from 10pm with DJ HZHA and plenty of chances to mingle with the street’s squad of fun-loving shopkeepers. For more information, see the Associazione Via Maggio Facebook page.
REMEMBER/US Memorial Day
May 28, 11am
Via Cassia S.N., Tavarnuzze, Impruneta
Ph. American Battle Monuments Commission
Set foot on United States soil just outside Florence. The American Cemetery (Tavarnuzze, Impruneta) will host its annual Memorial Day Ceremony on May 28, a moving occasion and an apt moment for first-time visitors to explore the grounds, particularly as the US Consul General of Florence prepares to celebrate its 200th year. The 70 acre site holds the headstones of 4,401 military dead—most fell in the battles that ensued after the June 1944 capture of Rome. Participation in the ceremony is free and open to the public. For more information and directions, head here.
PLUS
Wine and dine all weekend with the return of Cantine Aperte (May 26-27). Check out our roundup of top spring wine events here.
